–construction of critical drainage infrastructure in Regions Five, Six imminent, Minister Mustapha says

MNISTER of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has outlined the intentions of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government to construct replicas of the Hope Canal. This strategic move aims to bolster the agricultural sector and ensure enhanced coastal safety during the rainy and flood seasons.

In an interview streamed on Facebook, the topic of criticism from the previous government regarding the construction of the Hope Canal prior to 2015 was brought up. Minister Mustapha expressed his satisfaction in informing the interviewer that despite initial skepticism labelling the Hope Canal as a ‘white elephant,’ it proved to be a valuable asset in assisting the residents of the East Coast and Georgetown during the 2021 flood.

He explained, “Under our government prior to 2015, when the Hope Canal was built, we had a lot of criticism from the opposition then and now, the APNU+AFC. They criticised us, saying that that will be a white elephant…that will be one of Jagdeo’s white elephants, and we live to see when we had the most devastating floods in 2021, when all the regions of our country were affected, many areas, places like Georgetown, and the East Coast were spared because of that canal.”

Additionally, the agriculture minister noted that upon observing the direct drainage of excess water from the backlands and conservancy into the Atlantic Ocean through the Hope Canal, they recognised the potential benefits of implementing similar canals in the country. According to him, this realisation was prompted by the extensive flooding in 2021, resulting in the near-total devastation of approximately 85% of the agricultural industry.

“We had seen the loss of crops and livestock, and we have decided that we have to build these massive structures across the country. As a result of that, the President made a commitment that we will start the construction of these Hope-like canals in a phased approach, especially in Regions Five and Six this year. I am happy to say that the allocation is in this year’s budget,” he explained.

Additionally, Minister Mustapha stated the consultants are working on finishing the canals’ designs, and the contractors are being encouraged to submit “expressions of interest” in order to show their interest in the project. Furthermore, the minister mentioned that the building of the canals will start in a few months.

Minister Mustapha said, “In a matter of months, the construction of these canals will begin. We are at the stage where we are completing the designs. We have the consultants, and they are working to complete the designs for those canals. We have already seen in the daily newspapers the expression of interest where contractors are invited to express their interest in the projects.”

While discussing the importance of drainage across the country, Minister Mustapha alluded to the fact that Region Five is the largest-producing region in Guyana when it comes to agriculture.

In accordance with his statement, the region holds the responsibility for yielding nearly 70 percent of the agricultural produce in the area, underscoring the imperative need for appropriate drainage infrastructure to shield the farmers from any potential impacts.

“Region Five is the largest agriculture region in our country; we produce close to 70 percent of all agricultural produce coming out of Region Five, and we have to have proper drainage facilities. Also, Region Six is another agricultural region where a lot depends on infrastructure, and we will also build the Hope-like canal in that region,” Minister Mustapha stated.

Minister Mustapha expressed his enthusiasm for the commencement and timely completion of the two canals in their respective regions, aiming to enhance the well-being of farmers and local communities. According to Mustapha, it is crucial to alleviate the stress caused by flooding and to maintain regular land drainage.